Does He Ever Get The Girl?
by diabolikal rapture
Summary: This follows on from The Red Dress. How will Greg and Sara deal with their 'date' and the events that followed. Will he ever get the girl?
1. The Brilliant Dance

**Title:** Does He Ever Get The Girl?

**Author:** Diabolikal Rapture / Britt

**Summary:** This follows on from _The Red Dress_. How will Greg and Sara deal with their 'date' and the events that followed. Will he ever get the girl?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of it, CSI's owned by the respective people, yada yada yada. Any lyrics that I use are owned by the respective bands. Title from Dashboard Confessional's _This Ruined Puzzle, _lyrics and title of this chapter from Dashboard Confessional's _The Brilliant Dance_.

**A/N: **Thanks for everyone wholiked _The Red Dress _and wanted a sequel, totally rad. Sorry it took so long for me to post this. I was watching my niece for the weekend, and ended up planning a bunch of fics (GSR woot). I actually got into a good mood to write this in the middle of the night, so I hope y'all like it. Lemme know what y'all think, and if I should continue or not. Reviews will make me write faster ; ) New CSI's almost here! Rock / **Britt**

* * *

**Does He Ever Get The Girl?**

_1. The Brilliant Dance_

* * *

Greg slowly removed his jacket and placed it within his locker. He pulled out his labcoat and ID, and gently closed the door. He carefully put on the jacket and clipped on his identification, hoping that his slow movements would somehow ease his mind, slow down his thoughts and heal his emotions. But his efforts were fruitless. It didn't help. He left the room and headed out. He breathed in deeply, filling his lungs with oxygen, and hope. Hope that he wouldn't see her, wouldn't run into her and be forced into a plastic conversation. He didn't want that, and he didn't need it. 

He swiftly moved through the corridors until he reached his office. He closed the door behind him and sighed a sigh heavily weighted with relief. So far so good. He took a seat. He was exhausted. It had only been six days since that night, but it was six days too many. Somehow he'd convinced himself that he was fine, that he would deal with this and get through it. But he was aware of the harsh reality. Truth was, he wasn't dealing. Not at all. He was barely coping. And it didn't help that he was spending his nights here, in such a close proximity to the source of his despair.

He cursed himself. He promised that today would be different, today he'd think of something else. Today he'd be his normal self, free of his hurt emotions, his painful realizations and torn ego. He sighed again. He was torturing himself, and what for? She didn't _love_ him, she didn't _need_ him, she didn't want to be with him...that she'd bad so obvious. Greg allowed himself to entertain the possibility that she was thinking of him...He wondered if it hurt her, like it was hurting him. Or if he was just another one of the losers that she'd turned down in her lifetime. His thoughts returned to familiar territory..._Of course she isn't thinking about you, she doesn't love you, she doesn't care_...

He couldn't help but hate himself. After all, it was his fault. He'd ask her on the date, knowing that he had his own hidden agenda, he'd allowed himself to expect something more, to believe...He shook his head. _Stop it!_ He scolded. He was at work, where he should be working hard, not wallowing in self pity. _Why worry, no one else is going to pity me_...He spun in his chair as he glared out into the rest of the department. They hadn't said a thing since that night. He knew that they were aware of that night...and that they knew much more than that. But here they all were, side-stepping any conversation that might lead to mentioning of that night. In a way, he was grateful. Grateful, but bitter. _It would be nice to know that they at least cared_...He huffed to himself as he spun back around, his back to the rest of the world...turned his back on her.

_So this is odd,  
the painful realization that has all gone wrong.  
And nobody cares at all,  
and nobody cares at all._

------------------------------

Sara stared out the window as the car headed down The Strip. The neon lights were nothing but a blur as she stared past it all...she was focused on one thing. Catherine looked across at her colleague and frowned. Sara wasn't herself. She'd willing let Catherine drive, and handle most of the investigation at the scene they'd just left...She'd been distant, or at least, more distant than usual, ever since that weekend. Catherine wasn't game enough to push Sara, to ask her questions that she wouldn't want to answer, and so, she continued to drive, allowing for the silence to reign within the car.

Sara couldn't help but feel guilty. It tore her up knowing that she'd rejected Greg, and so simply. _You know it wasn't simple_..She reasoned with herself, but she knew that Greg would've seen that way, he'd believe that it was so easy for her to just turn away and leave him standing on her doorstep, alone. She leant against the cool glass of the window as she allowed her thoughts to consume her. _I wonder how he is_...She hadn't spoken to him since, she hadn't even shared a room with him since, and she felt horrible for avoiding him. She didn't know what else to do. Should she go to see him? _Yeah, just rub it in more_...She knew that she'd burned him, hurt him badly. If she were in his position, she wouldn't want to see the person who rejected her, to speak with them, forgive them...her thoughts trailed off as she remembered exactly how it felt to be turned down.

Sara was jerked from her thoughts as the car came to a halt in the car park. She sighed as she absently followed Catherine inside, selfishly hoping that she wouldn't bump into Greg. She continued to think about that night, though she knew that she was avoiding something, something that she knew she needed to address eventually. Why did she turn him down? Why was she regretting it so much? Why was she so torn? She escaped her thoughts as she began to scan the corridors, searching for that familiar face...And there he was. Greg turned the corner and headed straight towards her. His head was down, his shoulders slightly hunched...He wasn't himself, and he hadn't seen her yet. She searched for her escape, and found it in the break room, quickly turning into it before their paths crossed, before she had to face the full extent of her actions.

Without speaking to him, she could at least try and pretend as though it hadn't happened, as though she hadn't hurt him so badly..._What if he isn't hurt? What if his mother was wrong, wrong about his strong feelings for her? _She shook her head at herself, mostly in disgust. How could she try and reduce Greg's emotions just to try and ease her feelings of guilt? Again she felt her thoughts returning, the ones that she'd desperately been trying to ignore..._What if it isn't just guilt that I'm feeling? What if it's something else? Something more than that? _Before she could answer herself he walked into the room.

Greg paused as he realized he wasn't alone in the room, and it was too late to escape now. Their eyes met, and they held each other's gaze. Finally Greg broke the connection and turned his back to her as he collected something to eat from the refrigerator. He felt terrible for ignoring her, for not speaking to her, acknowledging her presence...but he shook these feelings away. What would she expect from him? He turned back to face her. She was looking out the door, probably thinking of the perfect escape to avoid his company. He searched her face, for something, anything to show him what she was thinking, feeling. She turned her gaze from the door and focused on him. A glimmer of emotion sparked across her features before he looked away from her, and continued out the door. He wondered what it was...guilt, despair, loss?

_So this is strange,  
our sidestepping has come to be a brilliant dance  
where nobody leads at all,  
where nobody leads at all._

At that moment he felt that he desperately needed to speak to her, but he shut these thoughts down as soon as they entered his mind. _What good has that done me?_ Following his emotions and impulses had gotten him here, feeling like this. He returned to his office, to his refuge. Here he could hide from awkward moments like those, silences, gazes, conversations that didn't even begin...Sara watched from the doorway, observing him as he struggled with his thoughts. She wondered what it was that he was thinking, whether he was feeling the same. _Why would he? He has nothing to be guilty about...It was all you Sara..._ She couldn't bare to be so close to him and not speak to him, tell him everything she was feeling. But she held herself back, like she had always done, and left the doorway.

Greg turned as he sensed a movement behind him, but found no one. He was alone, as another realization hit him. He'd never felt this way before. No one else had ever had this effect on him before. No one had ever made him feel so warm, so happy, and then this...so sad and alone. He'd never felt so strongly for someone, and had it thrown back in his face...not until now. Not until now had he realized that he was in love. _I'm in love with Sara Sidle_...He felt a sudden burst of anger. He never did anything right. He'd never been the perfect boyfriend, he'd never really tried with his relationships. And now that he had, he'd tried, and failed, and it was with the one woman he'd really wanted things to work with, whether he admitted it or not. But he knew it now...now he was owning up to what his mother had known all along, and now he was feeling an even deeper despair. What if he never found someone he loved as much as Sara? He sighed...he never knew that it could hurt this much. Rejection never felt this painful before, not even when she turned him down for the date. He wondered if she'd ever know how much he felt for her, how much she'd hurt him. _Well I guess it doesn't matter anymore_...

_This is incredible.  
Starving, insatiable,  
yes, this is love for the first time.  
Well you'd like to think that you were invincible.  
Yeah, well weren't we all once before we felt loss for the first time?_


	2. Remember to Breathe

_

* * *

_

**Does He Ever Get The Girl?**

_2. Remember to Breathe_

* * *

Greg took another sip from the beer in his hand as he felt his determination grow. He couldn't sit back and let her do this to him. He needed closure, he needed to know why she didn't want to be with him, why she didn't want to kiss him...After that he figured he'd be able to deal with this situation a little better...or at least he hoped he would be ableto deal with it better.But not knowing, that was killing him. _What more do I have to lose? _He stood and grabbed his keys. He needed to do this before he talked himself out of it, and while the alcohol had given him the added confidence that he needed. 

------------------------------

Greg kept his hands clutched onto the steering wheel as he watched Sara's apartment. He was beginning to feel like a stalker, watching her house from afar. He continued to stare at the unchanging apartment. Nothing moved. Everything was completely still, as though it had been frozen in time. He wondered if she was there, sitting on her couch with a beer like he had been, drowning her sorrows..._or her guilt_...He shook his head at his thoughts. Feeling this way about her, thinking of her in such a way didn't feel right. Even after what she'd done to him, he still wouldn't allow himself to think so badly of her. _I guess I'm just a good guy...not exactly good enough. _He shifted in his seat, realizing that he was talking himself down, again. It was a fault of his, and event he alcohol didn't supress long enough. He noticed that his hands were beginning to shake, and tightened his death grip on the wheel, turning his knuckles white.

_I'm starting to panic_

He sighed. There he was, sitting in his car, outside of Sara's apartment feeling sorry for himself. He tried to focus on his aim, the reason why he'd even left behind his comfort zone to come here...He needed closure. He nodded to himself..._closure_. But what if she threw everything back in his face, again? What if she wasn't willing to give him the answers he seeked, to put his mind at rest? What if this did more harm than good? _Remember? You have nothing else to lose...nothing. _With these thoughts in mind he released his grip on the steering wheel and got out of the car. He quickly made his way to her front door, fearing that his confidence would soon escape him. This exact spot had been the source of it all...and now he was there again. He felt his nerves kick in,but didn't allow himself to panic. Instead, he drew in a deep breath before knocking on the door.

_Remember to breathe  
And everything will be okay_

He waited for what seemed like an eternity, before finally allowing himself to realize that Sara wasn't going to answer her door. She wasn't home...or she was simply just refusing to answer her door, knowing that it was more than likely going to be him. He shook his head and in defeat retreated to his car. _So much for closure_. He sat in his car once again as he suffered from rapid hope loss. He was about ready to give up. Greg didn't exactly believe in destiny, but so far, nothing had shown him that things would ever turn out even remotely okay. He drew in a deep breath, realizing how tired and fatigued he really was. But he couldn't go home, not now.

------------------------------

Sara sat amongst the smoke clouds of the bar. After six nights, she'd managed to find herself there once again, unable to return home, _to the scene of the crime_. She stared at the glasses lining the wall in front of her...all neatly stacked, perfectly symmetrical, each and every one of them. If only life was that way, perfect...She sighed, realizing that the cigarette smoke wasn't bothering her as much as it usually would. _Maybe I should take it up again...Help make the hole I've dug myself just that little deeper..._She looked down at her watch, noting that she'd successfully been able to avoid returning home for almost an extra day. Although she wasn't even at home, her thoughts kept returning her there, to where it had happened...the crime scene as she liked to call it.

She'd been to crime scene after crime scene, and none of them affected her. The scenes of such crimes barely ever entered her mind a second time, but she found herself dreading her return to her apartment. She hadn't murdered anyone, but in a sense, she felt as though she truly had committed a crime. She shook her head at herself. She'd cut Greg down, rejected him, left him to bleed outside the door to her apartment. And now she didn't even have the courtesy to talk to the poor guy and see how he was. From what she could tell, he'd been taking it pretty hard. She scoffed. She really didn't know what he was thinking, what he was going through. _Well that isn't exactly true...coz you're feeling it too. _She frowned at her own realization. If she didn't care for him, would she be feeling this bad? Would she be torturing herself every minute of the day, wondering exactly why she'd turned him down. What was with all this doubt? She couldn't stand it anymore. However hard and painful it may be, things needed to be settled. And seeing as she was the one who caused this entire mess, she should be the one to clear it up, not just for herself, but for Greg's sake too. _Why are these things never simple?_ She stood from the bar stool and grabbed her jacket before paying her tab. She wasn't sure how long she could continue like this. She needed to see him now. She left the bar and prepared herself for what she was about to do.

------------------------------

Greg found himself circling the same area over and over again. His body was screaming for sleep, but he continued to drive, anywhere and everywhere, just to avoid returning home. He wasn't even sure why, but at the back of his mind a tiny voice was telling him that she might call, she might leave a message on his machine...He wasn't prepared for that anymore, not now. Since that night he'd waited at home, hoping, praying for her to show him any sign of regret. Now he'd given up entirely. He realized that he needed sleep, whether he wanted it or not. Driving wasn't doing him any good. In fact it was probably the worst thing he could do, locking himself in a tiny space, alone with nothing but his thoughts to accompany him. He made the familiar journey home and parked his car in the usual space. He began to sigh but caught himself. He was sick of sighing, of feeling sorry for himself. He muttered to himself as he got out of the car and locked it behind him. He slowly made his way towards his apartment, taking his time as he studied the ground before him as he walked.

He crossed the pavement, finally gathering the energy to lift his gaze from the ground as though he somehow knew what awaited him. He stopped dead in his tracks, and was more than sure that his jaw had hit the ground as he couldn't help but remain frozen. There she sat on the steps in front of his apartment, her arms wrapped tightly around her, her face directed down at the ground. He remained still as she registered his presence and looked up at him, offering a small smile. He couldn't help but return it as his heart skipped a beat and that familiar sense of hope began to return...

_Remember to breathe  
And everything will be okay_

* * *

Thank y'all for the really sweet reviews! I'm glad you're liking it wildcherry, Stephanie and ObsessedTWfan, course there's gonna be more! Remoob: I was thinking about adding some interaction between the other characters, but so far, I've just kept it between the two of them. And CSIslave! Hugs to you! You're not the only geek here! Lmao. (I'm sorry I don't know your names!) Aren't y'all just hating me right now? Lmao. My weak attempt at a cliffhanger...Please review and I'll continue! Chapter title and featured lyrics from DC's _Remember to Breathe_ / **Britt**


	3. Belated

_

* * *

_

**Does He Ever Get The Girl?**

_3. Belated_

* * *

Greg's mind was racing as he continued to struggle with the situation he had found himself in. There he sat, on his couch in his apartment, beside the very woman who had confined him to this very same position a mere hour ago. He'd allow himself to feel hope once again, though he cautioned himself. _She might have different intentions to yours..._He continued to process the thoughts that raced through his mind as Sara placed her empty beer bottle on the table. 

"You want another beer?" He offered as he stood, noticing that his own was getting low.

"Sure," she replied with a smile.

She leant back into the couch as she gently sighed. She didn't know what she was doing here. Sure she'd wanted to set things straight, to apologize for what she'd done. But so far they'd both had comfortable conversations, and even joked with each other. She couldn't believe her luck when he'd invited her in with a smile, when he'd offered her a beer, and they'd just mended back together like old times. It was almost as though the last week hadn't happened. In a way she wanted to continue to ignore it, to focus on what was happening now. But at the back of her mind it lingered. _I need to set things right..._Her thoughts trailed off as Greg returned with another beer.

"Thanks."

"No problemo..." He said as he returned to his position on the couch.

Greg looked over at the clock and realized just how long they'd been sitting there. They really hadn't said much to each other. Sure they'd spoken, but nothing about their date...He found that they'd both fallen into a comfortable silence, and began to wish that he could read minds. _What is she thinking? _He quickly glanced across at her, noticing that she was fidgeting with her beer. A smile crept onto his face, and he found himself feeling as comfortable with Sara as he'd ever been before.

"You know, peeling off the label is a sign of sexual frustration." He said matter-of-factly, preparing himself for the retaliation that was more than likely imminent.

Sara stared at him for a moment, half in shock, half in amusement. She picked up the pillow from beside her and threw it at his head. He ducked just as the pillow went sailing past, and he began to laugh.

"I guess that's a confirmation on the sexual frustration, huh?" He teased as he raised an eyebrow.

Sara couldn't help but allow a smile to cross her face as she stood and pulled back a balled fist. Greg stood and put his arms up in defence as she slowly moved towards him. He couldn't help but study her, and realize that she wasn't angry at all. If it had been anyone else, they would've slapped him by now...but with Sara, things were different. They were comfortable with each other, _and her sexual frustration_...He giggled at his thoughts, distracted just long enough for Sara to punch him in the arm.

"Hey, hey!" He managed to say as he continued to laugh, "I'm sorry okay?" He apologized, rather unconvincingly.

Sara punched him again just a little harder, easily noting that his apology wasn't even remotely sincere, "say it like you mean it." She teased, as she pulled back her fist again.

"Just sorry that you have to suffer from the sexual frustration..." He readied himself again for her retaliation, but before she could punch him again she pushed her back, causing her to lose her footing and land on the couch. She glared at him as he took a seat beside her. His facial expression made her giggle, he was really starting to look afraid. Greg looked across at her, and found that laughter really was infectious. The two of them sat side by side and laughed for a few more seconds before it died down, and the room fell into silence once again.

Sara frowned at herself. She'd never laughed that much in a while, and especially over something like that. Maybe it was just the alcohol, or maybe it was just being with Greg. She suddenly felt self conscious and shifted her weight on the couch. She almost felt guilty for feeling so happy, after all that she'd done. She realized that she wouldn't allow herself to be happy, not until she'd say what she'd needed to. And she didn't want him to have to sit there, beside her, after all that she'd done...

_I've never felt so bad in my entire life  
But this time I did it to myself  
What do you expect from me  
I did it  
So what do you expect from me_

Greg leant back into the couch, clutching his side. He hadn't felt sore from laughing in a while. He'd noticed that the two of them had fallen into a silence again, only this time, he wasn't so sure that it was a comfortable silence. He wanted to go back in time, to the previous moment when he was so happy. But now he was allowing for old thoughts to re-enter his mind, and wondered if Sara was doing the same. He wanted to tell her that it was okay, that he'd forgiven her...but was it really true? Before he could continue to think about it, Sara cleared her throat and turned to him. She looked at his face, allowing for their eyes to connect for a second before she broke the connection. She looked down, noticing that she was fidgeting with her hands...it was her turn to be nervous. She felt foolish sitting there, pretending as though nothing had happened..._well at least you're trying_...

She took in a deep breath, noticing the concern etched across his face, and the knowing in his eyes. He knew exactly what was about to come, and she was grateful that he stayed. He watched her, waiting for her to say something, anything to break the silence, the tension...

"Greg I'm...I'm sorry..." She stammered, not accounting for just how nervous she really was. She blushed, more conscious of herself than ever. She drew in another breath, trying to make sure that she could steady her voice as she continued, "I shouldn't have done what I did, I just...I regret it...and I realize it now. I've thought about it so many times, I wish that I didn't leave you outside, I wish that I didn't...I am so sorry."

Greg noticed the tears that were forming in her eyes and watched as a single tear ran down her cheek. He couldn't find his voice, and he realized, maybe it was better if he didn't say anything at all, she could more than likely see everything in his eyes and etched across his face, just as he could see what she truly felt, though she wasn't able to say it to him. He leant forward slowly and cupped her face in his hand as he wiped away the tear from her cheek. He pulled her in to a hug as more tears began to fall. He held her and whispered into her hair, "It's okay Sara, I forgive you...It's okay..."

------------------------------

Sara finally opened her eyes, and still found herself in his arms. It was so comforting, she dreaded having to let go, but she knew that she had to. She didn't even get to say everything she wanted to before she broke down. She inwardly sighed. She'd never done that before, she'd never really needed to. But with Greg, everything was different. She gently pushed herself away from him, lifting her head from his shoulder to find him looking down at her. She forced a smile, which he returned with ease. She wondered what she looked like. _Probably puffed up and red..very attractive Sara_. She brushed her hair from her face, knowing that it was a complete mess. She looked down, and again he brushed her face with his hand.

"You look fine..." He said soothingly.

She was taken aback. It was as though he could read her mind. Maybe he just knew her _that_ well. She shrugged it off before shaking her head. She still felt foolish. She shouldn't have cried. She wasn't the one that was hurt. Suddenly her guilt quickly returned, taking up residency in her mind once again. Greg watched her, wondering exactly what she was thinking about. He wanted to say something, something so charming, so amazing that she would never cry again, at least, not because of him. He searched for something to say, but kept drawing a blank. He really was lost for words.

A question still lingered in his mind...although he'd caught sight of it in her eyes, he still wondered exactly how she felt towards him. Did she say what she had to fix things between them as friends, or something more than that? He realized that he had more than one question that was nagging at him, but he didn't want to ask. He felt as though he couldn't, as though he needed to hear it from her without him needing to coax her...at least then he'd know for sure. Sara was looking down at her lap, her hair was a mess, but he didn't mind. He couldn't help but keep his eyes focused on her, even when she looked up at him, he maintained his gaze, making her blush. He smiled. She looked away, before looking at him once again as her gaze began to fall once more.

"Since that night, I've been thinking, actually, more like realizing a few things. And I realize...I owe you a date, a proper date, without any regrets." Sara said calmly, though a little quicker than she usually spoke.

Greg was surprised. It'd come from nowhere, as though she'd been waiting all night to say it, and it had taken her this long to get it out. He grinned as his mind raced and he felt himself becoming dizzy. Was this really happening? Did Sara Sidle just ask him out on a date?He looked around the room, pretending to think the question over in his mind, although the answer had sprung into mind beforeshe had even finished her sentence.

"Hmmm...well..." He said as he placed his finger on his chin and looked up at the roof, his 'thinking' pose.

She knew what he was doing, and as cute as he was while he was thinking,she really needed ananswer..she _desperately_ needed an answer."Greg..."

He moved his gaze from the roof down to her, and recognized the slight hint of annoyance in her voice. He realized that he shouldn't piss her off, especially not now after she'd just asked him on a date.

"Yes, Miss Sidle, I would love to accompany you on a date..." He said as he grinned.

Sara wanted to throw another pillow at him for making her wait like that, but she refrained..mostly because there were no more pillows nearby. She smiled. He was letting her make up for her mistakes. She only hoped that this date would end so much more better than the last. She began to think about what she would wear, where they'd go...when he interrupted her thoughts.

"...on one condition," he said as he raised his eyebrow, waiting for her to accept. She tilted her head and a slightly puzzled look crossed her face. She felt a lump form in her throat as she dreaded what he would say."My one condition...you _have_ to wear the red dress." He wiggled his eyebrows as he looked her up and down and pictured her in the dress he'd bought for her.

Sara let out a short sigh of relief. She thought he was going to say something different, something much worse. She nodded, "Deal." Wearing the dress would save her from having to chose her own outfit, and she really did love that dress. Greg excused himself as he left the room, leaving Sara alone with her thoughts, her plans, for this new date. She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice, she wasn't going to hold back, and she wasn't going to ignore her emotions. She smiled, knowing that this was going to be an amazing date.

Greg closed the bathroom door behind him and restrained himself from screaming like a woman who'd found the perfect shoes at a clearance sale. He leant against the sink and stared into the mirror. This was really happening. He'd gotten his chance, he'd forgiven her, and he'd gotten another date to make up for the last. Things couldn't have gone any better. Even in his previous thoughts, he couldn't have planned their meeting to have gone so well, and to have ended the way it had. Their date would be amazing. He decided he was going to go all out, make the night the best Sara had ever had, and hopefully tell her exactly how he felt.

_I'm not ready to turn my back on you yet  
I'm not going to let you down  
Let you down_

* * *

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter and CSIslave, remoob1513, crimebuff and Maddyfor reviewing the 2nd. Thank you guys, you're keeping me going. You're rad. I know I'm kinda late, but rock on the irony, lmao. Belated (by New Found Glory), the longest chapter yet! Hope y'all liked it. I really didn't know where to go with it, and don't even know how my characterization's going, are they even in character? Lemme know what y'all think./ **Britt**


	4. Hands Down

**

* * *

**

**Does He Ever Get The Girl?**

_4. Hands Down_

* * *

Greg stood in front of the mirror as he straightened his tie. He looked at his reflection as he sighed at the sight of his hair. No matter what he did he couldn't get it to stay down. In defeat, he decided to have his hair they way he normally had it. At least this time he didn't have to dress to impress his mother. He just had to impress Sara, and with her, he could just be himself. He finished fiddling with his tie as he smiled. He was ready. He remembered back to that weekend, and remembered how nervous he had felt, how anxious...But now, he was nothing but calm, and that surprised him. He was about to go out on a date with the beautiful Sara that he'd been harboring a crush on for years, and there wasn't even one butterfly in his stomach. For once he was confident, content knowing that it was she who'd wanted to go on a second date. 

It was she who'd asked, who'd taken control of the reservations, and he didn't mind at all. Though he was determined that he'd make this date so much better than the last. And without his parents in tow, it was on its way to beating their last outing. Greg looked down at his watch, realizing that he should have left already, seeing as he needed to make a stop along the way. And that's when his nerves began to set in as questions and uncertainty began to cloud his thoughts. He shook his head as he left his apartment, turning into the nervous wreck he'd been days before.

------------------------------

Sara steadied herself against a chair as she pulled on her shoes. She wasn't a fan of high heels. She was already tall enough. But she wore them anyway, despite the pain she'd be feeling over the next few hours. She returned to her bedroom to retrieve her purse, and stole one last glance in the mirror before returning to her lounge room. She liked how she looked, with _that_ red dress that Greg had chosen for her. She felt strange wearing the same dress, to the same restaurant, with the same man, all in the span of one week. But she didn't mind, she just wondered if she'd receive the same reaction as she had the first time. She checked the clock as she began to feel anxious. He'd arrive at any second, and she couldn't wait. The silence of her apartment was quickly interrupted by a knock at the door. She smiled as she made her way to the front door, almost tripping on the rug before her. She shook her head at herself, she tended to get clumsy when she was nervous.

She smoothed her dress as she approached the door. She placed her hand on the door handle and paused. She took in a deep breath before quickly pulling the door open. She paused again. She couldn't help but smile at the sight if Greg looking spiffy in a suit, but this time it was more like his usual self. After a few seconds she realised she was grinning like an idiot.

"Hi." She said through a grin as she finally noticed the large bunch of flowers Greg was holding. They took her by surprise. She definitely wasn't expecting flowers. The two of them stood in silence for a few moments. Sara thought it was strange, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. She just stood there, looking at him. She was beginning to feel stupid and she didn't know why.

_Breathe in for luck,  
breathe in so deep,  
this air is blessed,  
you share with me._

"Hi. You look..." He trailed off, letting his facial expressions finish his sentence for him. Greg stared back at her, taking in the sight before him. He took in a deep breath as he stepped towards her, and handed her the flowers he'd been clutching so tightly to his chest. He really didn't know why he'd gotten them for her. _Well, why not?_ He wanted to be a gentleman, and there was nothing wrong with that. His thoughts were quickly directed back to Sara, as he tried to memorize her appearance in his mind. She looked just as beautiful as before, though her hair was straightened this time. She was enthralled in the flowers once he snapped out of it.

"Do you like them?" He asked, hoping that she'd say yes. But he knew she would, probably even if she hated them. He had pretty good odds, she was into plants after all...

"They're gorgeous." She replied, "I'll just put them inside..." She pushed her door open, leaving it wide open for him to enter.

He stepped inside, taking the implied invite of the wide open door. He scanned the room, taking in all the tiny details. He smiled. It all fitted Sara perfectly. His attention was diverted by the clinking of glass as Sara placed the flowers into a vase. She set them down on the kitchen counter and admired them for a moment longer. Lilies. They really were gorgeous, and they were one of her favorite flowers. She grabbed her purse, and was once again ready to go on their date. She watched Greg as he checked out her apartment. She realized he'd never been inside her apartment before. But now wasn't the time for the grand tour. _There's time for that later._

Greg continued to scan the apartment, until his eyes met Sara's. He was a little startled, so he cleared his throat, and gestured towards the door. "You ready?"

"Yup." She said as she followed him out the door.

They walked to his car, arm in arm. Greg was happy with things so far. He was looking good, he'd arrived on time, she'd liked the flowers, he'd gotten inside her apartment, and now they were happily on their way to the restaurant. _This night will be perfect_...

------------------------------

Sara stared out the window, her attention drawn towards the passing lights featured everywhere along the Strip. The window was slighlty lowered, gently blowing in her hair. She smiled, realizing that Greg was playing music that she loved, classic rock, the way all music should sound...She liked being beside Greg, knowing that they could share a comfortable silence and not have to try and force any kind of false conversation. All through dinner she'd been completely relaxed. She felt beautiful, and he really seemed to know how to make her feel that way. He knew how to be a gentleman, and he was so sweet and courteous towards her, she really didn't know why she hadn't realized any of this before. She looked across at him as he drove. He'd really made the night perfect for her. And she'd done her best to do the same for him. After all, she did owe him one fantastic date with a killer ending. _Any ending would be better than the last one._ She sighed as she continued to relive the events of dinner. The small gestures he'd made, showing that he truly was thinking of her, and wasn't doing anything just because he felt obligated.

Greg felt her eyes upon him, and couldn't help but pass her a glance every now and then, taking his attention from the road for split seconds at a time, or when he'd become caught in traffic. They were heading towards aclub he'd scoped out. Something a little classy, a little trendy, but not that expensive. He'd made sure he'd scoped out the place before actually taking her there. In Las Vegas, you could find practically anything inside a bar, and he wasn't willing to find that out tonight, at least not with Sara. He glanced across at her again. The night really was going smoothly, almost better than he could ever have planned. It'd given him some added confidence, but he knew that the night wasn't over yet. He pulled in to the underground parking lot. Although there was a valet service, he felt much safer parking his own car in the spot he had chosen. He really didn't know why he disliked valet service, but he did, and that's all that mattered. He opened the car door for her and led her into the club. He'd specially reserved a 'room' as they were called, although it was really just a semi-isolated 'booth' within the club.

Greg placed his hand on the small of Sara's back as he guided her inside the club and towards their booth within the club. As they reached their booth he gestured for her to slide in first, and couldn't help but notice the curve of her rear as she slid behind the table and onto the cushioned seat. He took a seat beside her, sliding as close as possible to her without invading her space. He realized that his nerves had returned with a vengeance, and he needed something to calm him down. As if on cue his friend arrived at the table.

"You must be Sara," he said as he smiled at her and offered his hand, "I'm Mickey. If you need anything, all you have to do is ask."

"Hey Mick can I get a beer," Greg said as he glanced at Sara and raised an eyebrow, asking her what she wanted.

"I'll have the same, thanks." She said. Although she really was wondering what the brightly colored cocktails that everyone seemed to be carrying aroundtasted like.

Before long the two of them had had quite a bit to drink, though neither of them were drunk. Greg's nerves had disappeared, he was feeling more comfortable with her, and they'd been able tohave conversationswithout him even having to search for something to talk about. He wondered what she was thinking. She'd done nothing but smile since they'd entered the club. Sara placed the beer in her hand down on the table, and decided that she felt a little lonely, a mere 20 centimeters away from Greg's side. She slowly slid over, minimizing the space between them to nothing at all. Greg's heart began to race as the warmth of her body met his side. Had Sara Sidle just made a move? His mind was racing faster than his heart, and he didn't know what to do. He swallowed hard as he wondered whether he should reciprocate, or just wait for her to make another move. Before he could decide she shifted her legs, crossing them, and extending one across Greg's legs. Her leg grazed his, and he could have sworn that he could hear his heart beating in his ears. Sara turned to him, monitoring his reaction. She didn't want to do anything he didn't want to do, and she really didn't want to be taking things too quickly. He seemed to have tensed up, so she moved her leg away from his. He seemed to relax a little, and she couldn't help but smirk. He was so nervous and they weren't even doing anything. She couldn't help but me amused.

_This night is wild,  
so calm and dull,  
these hearts they race,  
from self control.  
Your legs are smooth,  
as they graze mine,  
we're doing fine,  
we're doing nothing at all._

Hours had now passed since the two of them had entered the club, and it was finally time to go home. As much as Greg wanted to stay there, sitting side by side with Sara, she was starting to yawn and drift off without even realizing it. He needed to get her home before she fell asleep. He led her back out to the car, and closed the car door after her. He hopped into the car and started the ignition. The rev of the engine woke Sara up. She stretched a little, feeling as though she'd just woken up. She looked across to Greg and smiled, hoping that he read it as an apology for cutting their night short. Really they had had an amazing time, and it had gone longer than any of her dates ever had. She decided that she wasn't ready to go home, she wanted to spend more time with him.

"Can we just...drive?" She asked, as she continued to stretch her muscles.

"Sure." He said as he nodded with his reply. He was glad she'd asked, because he really didn't feeling like ending their night just yet.

Sara leaned over the the center of the car and fiddled with his radio, changing the stations until she settled on a familiar song. _Wild Horses_ played across the speakers. Greg glanced across at Sara, noticing her interest in the song. She was no staring out the window and taping her hand against her knee along with the song. He smiled as she began to hum along to it, and pretty soon she was singing along to the chorus. He couldn't help but grin at just how cute she was singing along with the radio. He wondered if she even realized she was doing it. He glanced across at her. She turned to him, and their eyes met. She abruptly stopped singing and a blush crossed her features. She didn't even realize that she was singing aloud. A silence fell throughout the car as the song continued to play, the lyrics echoing throughout the car. He continued to pass glances at her, but now she was staring out the window. He felt bad, and wanted to let her know that he liked her singing. Before he could think, the chorus began to play, and the words were already leaving his mouth.

"Wild horses couldn't drag me away..." He sang at the top of his lungs, almost drowning out the radio as he continued to sing, making up the words he wasn't sure of.

She couldn't help but laugh. His voice was horrible, but she knew he meant well. The blush disappeared from her face, as the chorus played again and they both sang together. He glanced across at her once more, a huge grin plastered across his face. If she didn't like him, she would've surely thrown herself out of the moving car at just the sound of his voice. But she was still there, and singing with him. And she was comfortable with him. The song soon came to an end, and the radio DJ began to talk. Sara switched it off, as they realized again, just how late it was. Again, she really didn't want to go home, but she didn't want to have him continue to drive. They had drunken quite a bit, and they were both pretty tired. But she couldn't bring herself to ask him to take her home.

"You want me to take you home?" He asked, trying not toconvey his emotions in his voice. Truth was, he wanted to drive all night. Just being near her made him happy. But he knew the harsh reality that he would eventually have to say goodbye. He stole a quick glance at her for the millionth time since they'd gotten into the car. She spun her fingers through her hair as she considered the question.

"As much as I don't want this to end...I'm going to have to say yes." She replied regretfully with a quick smile.

Greg returned the smile as he nodded. He made his way through the maze of suburban streets, until finally pulling up in front of her apartment. They sat within the car for a moment, both thinking about the date they'd just been on. Both realized that they'd never been on such a great date, and they'd never realized just how much they were attracted to each other. Sara wondered what would happen next, and Greg hoped for a different ending to the last date. But he knew that that wouldn't happen. She'd shown him how she felt towards him, how sorry she had been. Throughout dinner she'd tried to repeatedly apologize, and he knew that she was truly sorry and regretted that it had ever happen. And they both had agreed that they'd forget it, move on...and here they were, with the chance to end their date on a much happier note. Finally he got out of the car, and rounded to the other side to open the door for her. He put out his hand as she got out of the car, steadying herself against him as her heels began to sink into the grass. They both began to make the journey towards her front door, both with their own hopes and wishes for just how this date would end. But one question stuck in Greg's mind...Would he ever get the girl?

_Hands down this is the best day I can ever remember,  
I'll always remember the sound of the stereo,  
the dim of the soft lights,  
the scent of your hair that you twirled in your fingers  
and the time on the clock when we realized it's so late._

Greg's heart stuck in his throat as they finally stopped upon Sara's doorstep. He really was dreading this moment, however much he tried not to, he just couldn't shake that feeling. But on the other end of it all, he had been waiting for this moment. He realized now that they were standing in the exact same position as last time. She stood across from him, her back to her own door. He suddenly couldn't think about anything but that night, and he hated himself for it. Sara watched him, and frowned as he looked down at the ground. She knew what was troubling him. She needed to show him that things were different...that she wouldn't do that to him again. She moved closer to him, resting her hands gently on his waist. He looked up at her, a smile growing on his face. She moved one hand to his cheek, holding his face as she returned the same smile. She needed to show him...

Greg's mind raced as they stood in this same position, before her hand returned to his waist. He realized how comfortable he was, her hands resting upon his waist, their bodies dangerously close to each other. He wondered what would happen next. But he knew that he wouldn't be able to make the move. He just couldn't do it. But he was feeling the growing urge to do something. He found himself staring into her eyes, shooting her with the questions that plagued his mind.Sara wondered how long they'd been locked into this position. Before she could process her thoughts she found herself tightening her grip on his waist, pulling him even closer towards her. Their bodies now stood flush against each other. Her hands wandered up his body, one stopping on his chest while the other came to rest at the back of his neck, pulling him in to their first kiss. Sara gently pressed her lips against his in a soft and tender kiss, showing him exactly how she felt about him. He now found his hands resting on her hips as their kiss continued, growing more and more passionate. Finally they broke apart, each watching the other's response, hoping that the other didn't regret it...Greg felt his confidence hit the roof, now that he knew how she truly felt. He didn't have to be cautious, but he still wanted to remain the perfect gentleman. He now took initiative and moved towards her, his arms wrapped around her as they shared another tender kiss, a goodbye kiss.

This time when they pulled back from each other Greg moved back slightly, knowing that if she was close enough he wouldn't be able to resist kissing her again. He didn't want to ruin the night by completely letting go. He realized that their hands were still entwined. Sara smiled. She had to admit, it had been the perfect end to the perfect date, with the perfect guy. She let go of his hand as she moved back closer to her door.

"Goodnight Greg," she said with a smile, before disappearing into her apartment.

"Goodnight..." He finally managed, moments after the door had been closed.

Greg stood, bewildered by the experience. He couldn't move from that position. He found himself replaying it over and over in his mind. This new memory easily erasing any others that had taken place on her doorstep. He finally snapped out of his Sara-induced trance, and wondered just how long he'd been standing in front of her door, grinning like an idiot. He returned to his car, finding it increasingly hard to walk like a civilized man. He had to fight the urge to run across the lawn, to yell out to the world that Sara Sidle had kissed him, and she had indeed meant it. He'd never been happier in his life. Hands down, it was the best night that he could ever remember, and he'd shared it with her.

_And you stood at your door with your hands on my waist  
and you kissed me like you meant it.  
And I knew that you meant it,  
that you meant it,  
that you meant it,  
and I knew,  
that you meant it,  
that you meant it._

* * *

Thank you all for the rad reviews. It seriously does mean a lot. I'm glad some of you liked the line about Greg screaming like a woman. I liked it too ; ) This is a monster of a chapter, I know...but I felt like I had to make up for taking so long to update. My life's been crazy of late, and add some serious writer's block onto that...But I finally wrote it, I didn't know where to go with it, so I used a little DC to help me along. I hope y'all like it! I didn't spell check it, so sorry for any typos. If it's all over the place I'm sorry, I was aided by some friendly frozen margaritas and a sweet guy called Gregg, ironically. Should I finish it here or continue it? It's your call! Lyrics from DC's _Hand's Down_. / **Britt**


	5. Hands Down Part Two

**

* * *

**

**Does He Ever Get The Girl?**

_5. Hands Down Part 2_

* * *

Greg and Sara sat in the locker room, concealed behind a row of lockers. They'd managed to get away from work for a few moments, and sit together, alone. A day had passed since their date. The first day of work, they'd tried to act as natural as possible throughout shift. But their colleagues had their suspicions. It was inevitable. They all weren't highly rated investigators for nothing. But their constant questioning had begun to annoy both of them, and they avoided giving any answers. That night they'd decided to slowly reveal the relationship that was forming between them. But neither of them wanted to keep it to themselves. They wanted to stay like this...just the two of them, and no one else. Sara leant back in his arms. She felt safe with him. Safe from everything, especially her colleagues and their nagging questions. 

"Do you wanna go out for dinner?" Greg asked as he looked down at her, his voice hushed to minimize the chances of being discovered.

"I was thinking more along the lines of a quiet night in..." She trailed off as a mischievous smile crept onto her face. Greg smiled and nodded in agreement. He couldn't think of a better way to spend his night than alone with Ms Sara Sidle.

_The words are hushed lets not get busted;  
Just lay entwined here, undiscovered.  
Safe in here from all the stupid questions.  
"Hey did you get some?"  
Man, that is so dumb.  
Stay quiet, stay near, stay close they can't hear...  
So we can get some._

Grissom walked into the breakroom with a huff. He wasn't in the greatest of moods. Ecklie had been on his back, he had a mountain on paper work to complete which he was dreading, and to top that off Sara and Greg were nowhere to be found, and right in the middle of three active cases.

"Have either of you seen Sara or Greg?" He asked as he looked between Warrick and Catherine.

"They're both missing? I see..." Catherine said with a smirk upon her face as she realized exactly where they were. And poor Grissom had no idea.

"Strange coincidence, the two of them disappearing at the same time..nowhere to be found." Warrick mimicked Catherine's smirk. They all knew that something was going on between Sara and Greg, even if neither of them would admit it. All of them knew, that was, not including Grissom. He frowned as he turned and left the break room. Neither of them were going to be of any help to him.

"So they're getting their thing on during shift...can't say I've ever done that before." He said as he glanced across at Catherine, who shook her head in response.

Nick entered the room, intent on finding his MIA partner on their blossoming case. "Have you guys seen Sara?" He asked, stopping short within the break room door as he felt as though he had just interrupted something.

"Find Greg, and you find Sara..." Catherine trailed off.

"Wait...you're saying that they're..." Nick began before being interrupted.

"Uh huh."

"Probably." Warrick added as Nick left the room, still intent on finding Sara. It wasn't fair that he was doing all the work, while she was probably off having a little fun, with Greg. He almost shuddered at the image that quickly shot through his mind. _I never want to think about that ever again.._With this image still fresh in his memory he decided to give up his search and resume work. He'd rather solve the case than find Sara and Greg doing God knows what in a utility closet somewhere. He tried to immerse himself in the case once more, but was interrupted by the sudden reappearance of his partner. She slipped quietly into the room and stood beside him, looking down at the evidence placed across the table before them.

"So Sar, how's Greg?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He couldn't help but ask, and he couldn't help but let out a chuckle when she stormed out of the room, leaving him alone once again to work on the case.

----------------------

Greg and Sara sat side by side on her couch, watching a movie that Greg had never even heard of before. He didn't even remember the title. It wasn't the movie he was interested in. He wondered how long the movie had to go. He glanced across at her, watching her as she focused her attention on the television screen. He no longer felt as though he needed to wait for her to make a move. But he still couldn't bring himself to, not while she seemedso interested with the movie. He liked how things had gone, and he felt confident knowing that her feelings were genuine.If she was pretending any of it, he couldn't tell. Greg was beginning to grow restless. He stole another glance across at her. This time she felt her eyes upon him and blushed lightly. She was still getting used to it all. Having Greg with her, being with him, having someone be that close to her. She turned her attention back to the television screen, and then back to Greg. She wasn't into the movie, she couldn't focus, and all she could think about was the man beside her.

With Sara's focus on him, he quickly convinced himself to take advantage of the moment. He leant forward, closing the space between them as he softly brushed his lips against hers. He began to draw back to his previous position inches away from her on the couch, but she didn't let him get far. She gently pulled him back into another soft kiss. The kiss deepened, and before long they soon found themselves gasping for air, forgetting to inhale much needed oxygen. They stared at each other for a moment, each trying to figure out what the other was thinking, feeling...and if they were ready to take things a little further. Before either of them could process any kind of well-formed thought they were in each others arms again, their limbs tangled together as they slowly made their way back to Sara's bedroom.

_My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me.  
So won't you kill me, so I die happy.  
My heart is yours to fill or burst,  
to break or bury, or wear as jewelery,  
which ever you prefer._

* * *

Thank y'all for reviewing. I say it all the time, but it means a lot knowing someone's enjoying this stuff. And Maddy I started reading your fic, I'm liking it so far! I don't have much time to finish it now with packing and all, but I'll finish when I get back! I've avoided updating this long enough. Sorry it took a while. I just really wasn't in the mood to write this, and I don't know why. Maybe it's my moods, maybe it's my GSR obsession returning with a vengeance...who knows. Coz of that I didn't write a very long chapter, but, it's better than nothing. Sorry for the weak ending, limited time on my computer. I would've continued on from the end, but, you guys can fill it in with your imaginations; ) Lyrics are by DC, _Hands Down_. I'm going on vacation, so I'll be MIA for possibly a month or two. Hoping I'll get back some of my creativity and some new ideas...If y'all would like me to continue, let me know! Anyhoo, y'all have fun while I'm gone, and have a drink for me, it's my birthday next week. If you haven't checked out Fiona Apple's new album, do it now...and another shameless plug, check out my most recent fic Ink lol. Peace / **Britt**


	6. As Lovers Go

**

* * *

**

**Does He Ever Get The Girl?**

_6. As Lovers Go_

* * *

It'd been days since Greg had last spent time with Sara outside of work, and he was beginning to feel as though she had been avoiding him. At work they'd barely spoken. And when they had spoken their conversations were focused upon cases, and side-stepped anything concerning their relationship. He desperately needed to speak to her, to know what she was thinking, feeling...And whether or not what they had shared had been real, or if he had just imagined it all. He allowed his insecurities to get the better of him. He couldn't help it. Greg had never felt like that before, never cared for someone as much as he did now, and it frightened him. He couldn't bare the thought of rejection, not again, and not from her. Anyone but her he could handle, but it terrified him to think that she didn't feel the same. Had he scared her away? Had he said, or done something wrong? Had he been coming on too strong? Maybe she wasn't aware of the extent of his feelings for her...Whatever it was, he needed to know, and he needed to know now. He picked up the phone and dialed in the number effortlessly, waiting as the phone began to ring. It continued to ring, but still no answer. 

----------------------

Sara stared at the phone that she gripped in her hands, at the small screen which displayed the caller's ID...it was Greg. Part of her wanted to answer, but another part of her was telling her to run, to run far away and never look back. It'd been so long since she'd been in a proper relationship, and the last hadn't gone so well. She knew that her feelings towards Greg were real, but as her relationship count rose, her confidence in men had lowered. And now she found herself wondering if she could trust Greg, if she could open up to him, be honest with him, and tell him all of her secrets. She hated herself for questioning him. He had been so sweet to her. But still she doubted the relationship they had. She escaped her thoughts as she realized that the phone continued to ring. She needed to hear his voice, and at the same time dreaded it. Was he calling to break things off with her? They hadn't spoken since the night at her place. Since then things had been strange, awkward between them. She sighed, she really didn't know what to expect.

"Hello?" She said into the receiver after finally managing to force herself to answer the phone.

"Hey Sara, it's Greg...Umm, is it okay if I come over?" He asked, wondering whether or not he should say anything more than that.

"Okay."

"Okay I'll be there soon. Bye." He said as he hung up the phone. As short as that conversation had been, it had been one of the most awkward he'd ever had. He sighed. They had so much to talk about.

----------------------

Greg settled into the lounge as Sara took a seat beside him, or rather, almost a meter away from him. He was really starting to believe that he'd done something extremely wrong. But if that had been the case, she probably wouldn't have agreed for him to come over, or even let him inside her apartment. He started to twiddle his thumbs, something he hadn't done in a while, and began to wonder whether the silence in the room was ever going to end. It didn't seem as though Sara was going to make any attempts at conversation, and so he took the first step. He needed to know what was going on, and where they stood with each other.

"Are we a couple?" He asked, almost startling her with his voice. He wondered how confident he had sounded. He'd tried his best, but the truth was he was scared as hell.

She looked over at him, almost a little uneasily. She hesitated with her answer, not entirely sure what it would be. She didn't know if they were or not, and their behavior towards each other now pointed her towards a no. She tilted her head as she lifted her gaze, her eyes meeting his, "are we?"

Both of them had their doubts about their relationship, though neither of them realized that it was something that they shared. Greg tried not to take it the wrong way, hoping that she meant something other than trying to blow him off gently by shooting the question back to him. He shrugged. "Are couples normally like this? I mean...we haven't even spoken to each other since...and are you avoiding me?" He asked as he watched her reaction.

His question almost baffled her. "I..I thought you were avoiding me." Sara replied as she raised an eyebrow. What were they, teenagers? They were two grown adults unable to communicate with each other. How could she be so stupid? Both of their insecurities had kept them apart for no real reason. "I wasn't avoiding you. I just...I don't know." She said, trying to figure out exactly why she hadn't just spoken to him, asked him what was going on. Maybe it had something to do with her fear of rejection, or her problem with commitment.

Greg found himself grinning. He was pleased to know that she wasn't avoiding him, although something was still bugging him. She'd doubted his commitment to her, as he'd done the same with her. He hadn't exactly had any long lasting relationships but he knew that doubt wasn't a good thing. They needed trust, and honesty...and he needed to show that he could trust and be honest with her. Before he could speak she decided to try to be blatantly honest with him...something she hadn't been able to be with any of her past boyfriends.

"Y'know, I guess I was avoiding you because I was afraid...I thought that you wouldn't want to be with me, that you'd decided that I wasn't worth it..." She trailed off, knowing just how much she'd put him through already, and how much weight she held above herself, believing that no one would ever want her.

"Of course I want to be with you Sara. There's no one else I've ever wanted to be with, as much as I want to be with you." He began, realizing that something he had previously thought had been true. From then on heknew that he'd never take a moment with her for granted, and every moment possible, he'd express his feelings for her, make her aware of how much she meant to him.

_I'll be true, I'll be useful...  
I'll be cavalier...I'll be yours my dear.  
and I'll belong to you..._

A blush spread across her cheeks as he continued to tell her exactly how he felt. No one had ever said any of these things to her before, and the few who had, had never truly meant it..no one like Greg Sanders. He slid beside her and pulled her into a hug. He began to stroke her hair. She hated herself for thinking the thoughts she had over the past few days. She hated ever doubting a man like Greg, and for letting her own insecurities get the better of her. She vowed to never do it again, to lay her trust completely in him. She decided at that moment as he held her in his arms, that she'd never hesitate again. She'd never doubt her emotions, her instincts, her impulses every again, as long as they were together. She felt content in his arms, feeling as though she belonged there with him, as though everything that had happened in her life had occurred to ensure her place with him there. He smiled as he looked down at her. He'd finally gotten the girl, and it felt better than he could ever have imagined. He leaned down and kissed her forehead as he whispered, "_I've gotta be honest I've been waiting for you all my life."_

_If you'll just let me through.This is easy as lovers go,  
So don't complicate it by hesitating.  
And this is wonderful as loving goes,  
this is tailor-made, what's the sense in waiting? _

* * *

A/N: I really had no idea where to go with this, just went off old notes. Sorry for taking so long to update, as well any lameness, corniness and clichés in this chapter. It's hard not to fall into them, lol. This isn't the best chapter, not even a great ending. I admit it. I don't know if it should end here or not. I'm really not into it right now (major GSR mood), but if y'all would like me to continue, let me know and I can try. Maybe lemme know what y'all would like to see happen. Lyrics/title by Dashboard Confessional's _'As Lovers Go'_/ **Britt**


	7. A Sure Thing

I thought I'd update sooner..I was wrong. But excuses, excuses. Thanks to the three of you for reviewing right up til the end, and thanks to everyone who read/reviewed throughout this and _The Red Dress_. Maddy I hope everything ends up ok with you and your friend. That type of thing's always complicated but I'm sure you'll work things out. This chapter will be the end, just coz I know I can go on forever with these two (as seen in this chapter, damn it's long!), but I'm gonna stop now before it goes any further downhill. I was going to go with remoob's ideas about wedding bliss, but this hopefully leaves it up to you to choose how their relationship will turn out. Please excuse anyspelling or grammatical errors. I typed it and uploaded straight away, and I don't have myself a beta. Anyhoo,I hope you like it. And thanks again, y'all are rad./** Britt**

**

* * *

**

Does He Ever Get The Girl?

_7. A Sure Thing_

_

* * *

_

Greg leant in as he pressed the doorbell. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. It felt strange standing on that front doorstep, ringing that familiar doorbell, and waiting outside of his childhood home, waiting for his parents to invite him inside. Sara squeezed his hand. He glanced across at her, her comforting smile put him at ease. He drew in a deep breath as the door handle turned and the door creaked open, revealing his mother with her trademark grin. She opened her arms wide as she pulled him into a hug.

"It's so good to have my little boy home!" She exclaimed as she squeezed him tighter.

Greg inwardly groaned. Just what he needed; to be embarrassed in front of Sara. Sara watched them in their embrace, and began to feel as though she was intruding. Greg's mother finally released her son from her grip as she turned her attention towards Sara. She grinned as she pulled Sara into a similar hug, making her feel welcome although she felt a little uncomfortable.

"It's lovely to see you again Sara." She said as she finally let go and led the couple inside.

They entered the house and found themselves in the living room. Greg's mother quickly crossed the room and turned down the television volume before nudging her husband who had fallen asleep in front of the TV.

"Greg and Sara are here," she said as she nudged him again. He barely stirred as he remained asleep. She sighed and shrugged before remembering something.

"There's something I need to show you! Excuse us Sara..." She said as cheerfully as ever as she excitedly led Greg towards the back of the house. He looked back at Sara and shrugged before disappearing into the room at the end of the hallway. Sara studied her surroundings, admiring the various items which cluttered the room. She moved closer to the opposite wall which was adorned with photos of the family. She followed the photographs, as Greg transformed from a baby in the earlier photos into the college graduate in the last. She moved away from the photos as she heard footsteps approaching from the hallway. Again she felt as though she was intruding, as though she was out of place in a home like this...in _his_ home.

They re-entered the living room. She immediately noticed the change in Greg. He seemed...well she really didn't know what it was about him, but something was different about him. She shrugged it off.

"You kids make yourselves at home, I'm going to get dinner ready..." Greg's mother voice trailed off as she went into the kitchen.

Greg followed her in, closely followed by Sara.

"Do you need any help mom?" He asked, being the good helpful son he'd always been.

"No, it's fine. You two get settled in."

The couple left the room after she further assured them that she could handle dinner on her own. Greg headed towards the front door. Once again Sara was close behind. She felt more at ease when she was closer to him. She felt like less of an intruder when she was by his side. They both quickly unloaded their travel bags from the trunk of the car. It was then that Sara realized just how much things they'd brought along with them for such a short stay. They re-entered the house, lugging their bags along with them.

"C'mon...I'll show you my room." Greg said with a grin before leading her down the hallway.

Sara smiled. She'd thought about his room a little on the trip down. They stopped at a closed door which was adorned with a small sign, _'Greg's Room'_. He pushed the door open with his foot and quickly dumped the bags onto the floor. He took the bags from Sara before gesturing for her to enter.

"Welcome to my humble abode..." He said, mocking some kind of accent that she couldn't really identify.

She stepped across the threshold and looked around the relatively large room. It was exactly what she'd been expecting. He closed the door behind her as she was immediately drawn to the bookcase across from her. She began to investigate its contents. Greg took a seat on his bed as he watched her check out his things. She scanned the various photo frames, awards and trophies. She picked up one of the frames, showing Greg at a science fair with first place, his parents proudly beside him. It reminded her so much of herself, and yet it reminded her how different their childhoods had been. She gently sighed as she set it back in its place. Sara continued along the bookcase before reaching his desk, adorned with various books and objects, although one in particular stood out to her. Greg noticed her pause, and moved to her side.

"My first chemistry set...isn't she a beauty? Where the magic all began..." He beamed as he wiggled his eyebrows at her, before picking up a fragile test tube. It had started it all...and now it was even more special to him. Without that set, he'd never gotten so interested in science, and therefore never would've headed down that career path, and never would've met Sara. He grinned as he set the test tube back down. He returned back to his position on his bed, realizing just how tired the trip down had made him. Sara continued to look around the room before she focused upon him. He gestured to her, inviting her to join him on his bed. She moved to the bed and sat beside him. Greg grinned. Essentially, he really had been waiting for this exact moment his whole life.

"You know...you're the first girlfriend I've ever had in this bedroom, on this bed..." He trailed off as he continued to grin.

"Really?" She asked. It seemed a little unbelievable...but then again, his mother had said that she was the first girlfriend he'd ever brought to meet the Sanders, so it did make sense. But still, for a sweet guy like Greg, it was hard to believe.

"You can have the full Greg Sanders experience in the original Sanders residence." He said as he leaned towards her, though she put her hands up, stopping him from moving any closer.

Sara chuckled. "As tempting as that sounds...your parents are right outside." She'd have to postpone the 'Greg Sanders experience' for a while. The last thing she wanted was to be the first girlfriend in Greg's room, and getting busted with him at the same time.

"And?" He asked. Realizing that he wasn't going to get any kind of action before dinner, he put on his best pout and did his best to make her feel guilty.

"What? You really want to be caught with me by your mother? What would she think then of her innocent little boy?"

He shrugged. As much as he hated to admit it, she did have a point. No action in Greg's room, at least not at that moment anyway. He let his pout melt away as he watched her study his room. He wondered what her room had been like when she was younger, whether it was filled with a mix of athletic and scientific objects as his, or whether it had been completely different. He even wondered if it had been pink. His trail of thought was interrupted by a knock at the door and that familiar voice announcing that dinner was ready.

------------------------------

Greg sighed as he settled into the couch, in the same old position he always had. He turned to his father, who had already managed to drift off to sleep so soon after finishing dinner. He turned his attention towards the kitchen, to the light chatter he could hear drifting out of the room. He wondered what the two women were talking about. Whatever it was, there's no way it could be any worse than the conversation over dinner. As if his mother hadn't embarrassed him enough at the restaurant the first time she'd met Sara, she had to take it even further tonight, relating stories from camps and his childhood antics that he'd love to be able to forget. Somehow he'd survived dinner and managed to retain some of his dignity, before his mother had promised to show Sara the several photo albums she had hidden in the closet.

As he watched the television screen before him he realized that he really didn't mind it at all. So what if Sara saw him at some of the most embarrassing stages of his life? She'd heard the stories, even back in Vegas, and she hadn't told a single soul. If it was only she who knew his deepest darkest secrets, he knew he could easily handle it. His thoughts shifted back to his parent's bedroom, the conversation he'd had with his mother...and what she'd given him. That was something he wasn't sure he truly knew how to handle.

------------------------------

Sara quickly wiped the bubbles from the dish before setting it down on the counter. They'd suddenly fallen into silence, and she was almost glad. She felt so guilty knowing that Greg's mother believed that the two of them had been dating for a long time, when really it had been barely a few months. She'd broken his heart and mended it again, and already she'd broken a promise she'd made to his mother...to never hurt him. Now that they were a couple, she vowed to stick by that promise, as now she realized that she'd never be able to hurt him, intentionally or unintentionally.

"Sara honey, are you okay?" She asked realizing that the young woman had almost frozen while drying the last of the dinner plates.

Sara broke out of her thoughts and silently cursed at herself. "I'm fine," she replied with a smile, but that wasn't enough to convince her otherwise. She didn't know what else to say, whether to say what she had been thinking, or keep pretending that they'd been together for much longer than they really had. To see this woman so happy, she knew she couldn't shatter it all. She couldn't do that to her, or to Greg. Instead she simply drew in a short breath and nodded as she repeated her previous answer. "I'm fine, really."

Sara's response didn't cease her concerns, but she knew that if there was something Greg's girlfriend wanted to say to her, she would say it. Greg had always told her that Sara spoke her mind, why would now be any different? She shrugged as she pulled the plug from the drain, watching the soap suds spiral around the sink before disappearing. "Thanks for your help honey. Remind me tomorrow to show you the photo albums."

"Sure," Sara replied as she dried her hands and left the kitchen in search of Greg.

She found him sprawled across the couch, completely focused on the television screen. She didn't even think he noticed her standing there. She took the moment to watch him, to study his face. He seemed so happy there, so content being home. She smiled.

Greg sat up as he noticed that he had an audience. Sara blushed as he caught her watching him. "So what did you think of the show?" He asked as he shot her a cheesy grin. He stood from the couch and stretched. He crossed the lounge room and pulled her into a hug which closely resembled a bear hug. "There's something I wanna show you..." He whispered into her ear before taking her hand and leading her towards the back door. She let him lead her, as they exited the house and found themselves in the middle of a fairly large backyard. He headed towards the center of the backyard, to the base of a tree. As they got closer she noticed the ladder attached to the trunk. She looked up at the tree house situated amongst the tree's branches.

"Ladies first," he said as he gestured for her to climb the ladder first. Chivalry was always key, but in this case it worked two-fold. He could be a gentleman, and have a great view of Sara's ass at the same time. He followed her up the ladder and into the tree house. He smiled as the looked around the small room. He'd remembered it being a whole lot bigger than it appeared now, but he'd grown a lot since the last time he had visited. "Welcome to Greg's tree house of love." He said, knowing just how lame it sounded. It received a smile from his girl, and that was all that mattered to him. He leant across her into the small cupboard, retrieving an old blanket and a lantern. Light filled the small tree house as he spread out the blanket.

"So what did you mom show you earlier?" Sara asked, finally asking the question which had been bugging her for hours. It must've been something pretty spectacular for him to have reacted in such a way, although she still didn't know what kind of reaction he had actually had.

"Hmm? Oh nothing, just something she's been waiting a while to give to me." He replied, hoping that she wouldn't think any more of it. If he dismissed it as nothing important, hopefully she'd do the same.

Sara watched him. She knew he was telling her something, but she had a way of getting things out of him...eventually. She looked at the wooden walls of the tree house. "Is this thing safe?"

"Sturdy as ever," Greg replied as he knocked on the floor. It was still as strong as they day he and his father had built it so many years ago.

Sara had only ever been in a tree house once before, and even then she hadn't actually done anything in it. She was curious about what he had done, what had gone on in those tiny walls. "What'd you used to get up to in here?"

He smiled. He had so many memories formed within the tree house. From his early years he'd played in there with his friends, and later held sleepovers and club meetings. And eventually he'd had friends, and girls in there. He'd gotten up to his fair share of mischief in that little room. And who ever said tree houses weren't cool? "Just boys stuff." He replied with a grin. "Y'know, just your averagetree house shenanigans, truth or dare, poker... "He trailed off.

"Truth or dare?" She asked. She'd had memories of playing that during her early high school years. She'd never like it much, especially the truth side of it.

"Yeah. Asking questions, giving out dares. Except you always go with truth for the first few goes, just to show that you're not desperate and frighten the ladies." He nodded, remembering that sacred rule. Good times...

"Ask me."

"Okay Miss Sidle...Truth, or dare?"

"Dare." She replied with a mischievous grin. She laughed at his reaction. It definitely wasn't what he was expecting, at least not on the first go. Really, she'd never choose anything but dare. Truth held more risks for her than any dare ever could.

If he were still seven years old, or someone like Grissom, he would've certainly dared her to eat some kind of insect, but right now he was content with something simple, something that wouldn't 'frighten the ladies.' Seeing as he'd been waiting hours for a moment alone with her, he shuffled closer to her on the small picnic blanket and leaned in as they began to kiss. It soon turned into the best game of 'truth or dare' that he'd ever played in his life.

------------------------------

Greg gently squeezed her hand as he continued to drive. He'd racked his brain trying to think of the perfect place to take Sara. So many places came to mind, but there was one that stood out on its own. She squeezed back as he glanced across at her and smiled. He focused on the road ahead as she stared out the window and thought about the events of the day. She hadn't had that much fun and felt so welcome in a long time.

Earlier that day Greg and his family had taken her to the beach. She couldn't remember seeing Greg more excited. He'd been acting like a little kid waiting desperately to arrive at Disneyland, constantly asking if they were there yet. Once they'd arrive Greg unloaded his surfboard and headed straight to the surf, intent on showing Sara just how well he could surf. He'd always said that surfing was a state of mind, and that day, his mind must have been somewhere else completely. What was meant to be a show of skill turned out to be something you'd expect to see on those funny video shows. Wave after wave Greg tried to catch waves, and failed miserably. And on the off-chance that he'd actually catch a wave, it wouldn't last long at all. He'd either lose balance, or be dumped by the waves.

She found herself smiling now as she glanced across at him. As funny and entertaining as it all had been to onlookers, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He had returned to the towels set out across the sand and collapsed upon them, defeated. She'd some how convinced him to teach her to surf. Although she'd known how to before, after all she had lived near the Californian coast almost her entire life, she still pretended to be completely lost. Out they'd gone into the surf, and he had set her up for her first wave. He instructed her to start paddling, and as the wave hit to paddle five more strokes before standing up. First try she was standing on the board, proud with herself before realizing that she was a 'beginner'. She'd began to shake and fell from the board, only to be scooped up into Greg's arms soon after. She hadn't meant to hold back, but she couldn't bear to see him once he'd realized that she could surf better than he could. She'd save that little bit of information for another day, perhaps when his parents weren't watching from afar.

It was her turn now to be the excited kid. She still had no idea where he was taking her, and she really didn't mind. She turned to him, and began to whine in the most annoying, child-like voice she could manage, "Greg, are we there yet?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Not yet, but almost."

She looked back out the side window, and mentally pictured the hundreds of photographs Greg's mother had shown her mere hours beforehand. The two of them had spent hours flicking through the pages of the numerous photo albums. From his baby photos to photos of him recently, each had a story behind it that his mother was more than willing to share. Sara had particularly liked the photograph of a young Greg dressed in nothing but his mother's bra. She'd laughed so hard tears had formed in her eyes. Tears had almost formed once again when they had reached the end of the last photo album, where a single space remained vacant, waiting, as Greg's mother had said, for a photo of Greg and Sara together. She sighed as the car suddenly came to a halt, and Greg grinned at her.

"We're here." He simply stated as he got out of the car and took her hand. He gently pulled her towards their destination as he began to wish that he had had more time. If he had planned something earlier he could've found something a little more romantic than this. He sighed. This would have to do, and after all, it was special to him.

Sara frowned as Greg lead her through trees and shrubbery, the cover almost so thick that she lost sight of the sky at times. They reached a chain-linked fence, and followed it until he had found the hole in the fencing, the perfect entrance, and only entrance that he could manage into the place. He helped her though the fence as she continuously looked at her surroundings. She had no idea where she was, or where he was taking her. They continued through an area of more trees and shrubbery, before being met witha large wall of cement. She looked up, trying to see what exactly this thing was, but was quickly led towards a spiraling staircase which led nowhere but upwards. She followed him up as they scaled the stairs. They'd reached a landing which looked a lot like a balcony. Greg moved to her side, allowing her to view just how high up they were, and exactly where they were. She was taken aback by the sight before her. The city stretched out underneath them, with the ocean in the distance and the setting sun across the horizon. It was beautiful.

Greg took a seat on the landing, dangling his legs down over the edge as he watched Sara admire the view. That tower, at that exact same spot, had been the site of a lot of memories in his teenage years, drinking, smoking, talking, and just hanging out with his friends. Now he was sharing it with Sara, and from her reaction, she appeared to like it as much as he did. She took a seat beside him and leant her head against his shoulder as the sun disappeared, and the moon took its place. They both admired the amount of stars in the sky, neither of them seeing so many out during the night since they'd moved to Vegas. The city lights below them shone through the darkness, and were another beautiful sight.

As Greg sat beside her on the water tower, he found that all of the doubts he ever held in his mind had melted away. With her there in his arms, he'd never been so sure about anything in his life. He slid his hand into his pocket, gripping the small velvet case that held his grandmother's engagement ring. His hand shook as much now as it had when his mother had handed it to him the previous day. He'd never been so frightened, and yet so sure about something in his entire life.He knew that he truly had the girl, and he had no intentions of ever letting her go.

* * *

**The End...**


End file.
